Editor's Lens: Empowering women in the creative industry

Comedian Jacinta Ocansey has revealed that she has been facing discrimination in the creative industry because she is a woman.

In a recent interview with an Accra-based radio station, Jacinta lamented how she is paid less for her services compared to her male counterparts.

She explained that the phenomenon has forced her to turn down many gigs after discovering that her male colleagues were offered significantly higher fees for the same project.

Jacinta’s revelation supports similar concerns raised by a number of Ghanaian female creatives in the past.

It appears every unit in the creative space is not very friendly to the female gender. From music, movies, comedy, our ladies have bitterly complained of dealing with discrimination.

For instance, it has become very common for our female musicians to express their disappointment at this seeming canker, coupled with sexual harassment, with many also bringing to light how differently they are treated from their male counterparts.

What a male musician will do and perhaps escape the repercussions, the female will have to pay with her career at a costly price. For the females who are not strong-willed, they quit to find their peace. This is not the way to go as a people if we want our women to be empowered and well positioned in the sector.

A number of players in the industry have watered down Jacinta’s claims with the explanation that creatives are paid based on their bargaining power and not gender.

It is not in the place of Graphic Showbiz to make judgement of the two situations, however, we are calling for a collective approach to empower our female creatives to be relevant in the space.

Making sexual demands from them, low payments and most importantly, the public rating them low are potent tools to discourage our women.

While the world is still pushing the women empowerment agenda, Ghana’s creative industry cannot be allowed to lurk in the dark when it comes to this worthy cause. We can do better!

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